the nickname of "Kil-Cavalry." He was
good-natured, approachable, and not inclined to be much of a
disciplinarian.

He was not disposed to punish his men if they took a horse from
citizens, which they occasionally did in 1862, unless they were caught
at it.

One day when we were in camp near Falmouth a citizen called on him to
complain that a horse of his had been stolen and to ask permission to go
through our companies' streets in search of it. The man rode into camp
and tied his horse to one of the stakes to which the General's tent was
attached. Kilpatrick courteously invited him in, listened to his story,
and gave him permission to go through camp looking for his horse. On
emerging from the tent the man found that while he was inside some one
had taken his saddle from the horse he rode in on. My recollection is
that he recovered neither the saddle nor the horse he was in search of.

Kilpatrick was energetic, brave, and patriotic, and as a cavalry leader
had a splendid record, and I understood that his services after he went
to Sherman's army were much appreciated by that commander.

Among the fine officers with whom it was my privilege to serve and whose
friendship has grown and still exists, were Colonel Henry C. Weir,
adjutant-general of General D. McM. Gregg's cavalry division and his
chief-of-staff, and General Walter C. Newberry, the lieutenant-colonel
commanding the Twenty-fourth cavalry in June. It was the former who took
me from the ranks and secured for me the position at General Gregg's
headquarters, which brought me under the eye of the General and gave me
opportunities that probably secured the promotion I ultimately obtained.

Weir was about twenty-one years of age in 1863, and with a most
attractive personality. He had a wide acquaintance among officers of the
army who had graduated from West Point, since his father was Professor
Weir, the famous artist on duty there, some of whose paintings are in
the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington. Weir was adjutant-general of
General Bayard's brigade when the latter was killed at Fredericksburg,
and then continued as such with General Gregg's division to the end of
the war. He was intensely patriotic, high-toned in character, and one of
the bravest men I ever knew. Indeed, General Gregg once remarked to me
after the war that Weir was so uniformly brave that he found it
difficult to recall a particular instance in order that he might
recommend him for a M